Mitchell Marsh confirms his availability for Adelaide Test

It's one less headache for Australia in Adelaide as all-rounder Mitchell Marsh recently confirmed his availability for the second match of the Border Gavaskar Trophy. The pace all-rounder appeared to be in discomfort during the Perth Test, prompting skipper Pat Cummins to seek the assistance of Marnus Labuschagne to complete the overs. Following the 295-run defeat in the opening clash, Australia called up another all-round option to the team amid uncertainty over Marsh's fitness for the pink-ball Test at the Adelaide Oval. However, as clarified by Marsh himself, he is "ready to go" against India in the remainder of the five-match BGT series.

"I'm good to go," says Mitchell Marsh ahead of Adelaide Test

Long before the BGT commenced down under, Australian skipper Pat Cummins had outlined his plan to utilize Mitchell Marsh and Cameron Green extensively in the bowling department. However, the skipper's strategy faced an early setback when Green underwent knee surgery, ruling him out of action for up to six months. The responsibility then shifted to Mitchell Marsh, with the hosts relying on his impressive batting prowess while also expecting him to contribute as a quality seamer. However, Marsh didn’t appear at his best as Australia began the five-match Border Gavaskar series with a 295-run defeat against the visitors at the Optus Stadium.

As the hosts pondered over the solution for Marsh's rusty outing, the management called up uncapped all-rounder Beau Webster in the squad. However, despite the additional measures, things looked far from easing down for the Kangaroos. As the team looked for a backup of Marsh, primary seamer Josh Hazlewood was ruled out of the Adelaide Test due to a side strain. To deal with Hazlewood's confirmed absence, Australia has named Sean Abbott and Brendan Hoggett in the squad ahead of the second BGT Test.

However, as things stand now, Australuia won't be needing Webster to cover for Marsh. The 33-year-old all-rounder recently expressed his readiness to play the Adelaide Test. Marsh's assurance will be a significant boost for the hosts, who are already grappling with the absence of Josh Hazlewood. Hazlewood leaves a void likely to be filled by Scott Boland, who is expected to join Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins in the pace attack.

"The body's all good, yep. Nah, nah, I'm good to go," Marsh said when asked about his fitness for the next fixture against India. "I'll be there," he added.

Marsh, who has dealt with a recurring ankle issue requiring surgery, missed parts of the 2022-23 summer. While his bowling workload has been managed carefully, his primary contribution to the team has shifted to his role as a specialist batter. Since making his return to the Test squad with a memorable century in last year's Ashes, Marsh has amassed 803 runs at an impressive average of 44.61 across 11 matches. In the Perth Test, he showcased his batting prowess with a resilient 47 off 67 balls, standing out as one of the few Australian batters to offer resistance alongside Travis Head, who top-scored with 89. The second BGT Test, scheduled to be a day-night fixture is slated to kick off on December 6 at the Adelaide Oval.